Prelude: The talent and technology

Creating the world’s first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project continues to be one of the most ambitious engineering projects in the world. In order to get the unique combination of talent and technology needed to contribute to this project, we’ve brought together technical skills and innovative components from around the world. As the project develops further we're now up-skilling local talent and businesses through partnerships with universities and regional training opportunities.

Making FLNG a reality is no simple feat, we've had to innovate hard and invest heavily, shrinking an onshore LNG plant to about a quarter of the size. However, we are uniquely positioned to make it a success given our commercial capability; our LNG, offshore, deepwater and marine technology; and our proven ability to successfully deliver megaprojects. Many of the technologies used on the FLNG facility are ones we have used onshore, but some have been extended or modified in order for the processes such as liquefaction and offloading to occur at sea.

Size matters when it comes to stability

With increased size comes increased stability. Measuring nearly half a kilometre in length, 74 metres wide and weighing more than 600,000 tonnes with its cargo tanks full, Prelude will be the largest offshore floating facility ever built. Around 260,000 tonnes of steel are being used in the construction of the facility, that’s around five times the amount of steel used to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Precision is paramount

Around 5,000 people are involved in the construction of the Prelude FLNG facility in South Korea, plus 1,000 on the Turret Mooring System, subsea and wells equipment. Watching the team at the Samsung shipyard in Geoje, South Korea as they measure accuracy to the millimeter shows how, despite the colossal size of Prelude, precision is paramount and the team’s expertise and dedication are crucial to the success of the project.

Bon voyage

Following the two massive halves of the hull being joined together, Willie Gray, his international team and their families wave Prelude out of the drydock. It’s not surprising that, following 18 million hours of design and development, including more than 2 years of construction so far, Didrik Reymert, Project Director, can’t hide his awe and pride when he looks at Prelude. “It’s amazing. It’s very big, it’s very impressive and it’s a fantastic achievement by everybody.”

The construction of the processing plant is now underway. Once the project is completed and moored 200km off the coast of Western Australia, a whole new phase of the project will begin; working towards a point when 3.6 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas will be processed each year, along with 1.3 mtpa of condensate and 0.4 mtpa of LPG.

Prelude takes shape

With the last of the topside modules now safely installed, the full scale of Shell’s Prelude FLNG project is taking shape. Our camera crews ventured high into the sky and deep inside the hull to capture an exclusive glimpse of Prelude - the largest floating facility ever built. View the latest Prelude video here.

Description: It’s been a year of remarkable achievement for Shell’s Prelude Project. From the installation of the first processing module in South Korea to the completion of the largest turret ever built in Dubai. Take a look at some of the extraordinary highlights from this world first project to liquefy natural gas at sea. Prelude: Around the World Film Transcript

Voice Over In a global engineering project of extraordinary scale, Shell is building a giant floating facility that will liquefy natural gas at sea.

Voice Over With its half kilometre long hull now afloat in South Korea, 2014 saw huge advances for the project around the world.

Title Page Prelude Around the world

Caption Vicinay Cadenas, Bilbao, Spain

Voice Over In Spain, brute strength and searing heat form the mooring chains that will hold Prelude in position.

Caption Saioa Sebastian, Project Manager, Vicinay Cadenas

Saioa Sebastian: Every day we manufacture around 50 tonnes. That means 150 links more or less.

Voice Over 17 kilometres of chain, with 24 and a half thousand links will be produced.

Caption FMC Technologies, Sens, France

Voice Over In France, tests are underway on ground-breaking arms that will transfer the liquefied natural gas directly onto ships.

Caption Cris Moreno CSU Superintendent

Cris Moreno It is effectively the first time that we’re running the Prelude LNG loading arm at cryogenic conditions. Yeah! It is exciting.

Voice Over Chilled to minus 162 degrees centigrade, the natural gas will be transported as a cryogenic liquid.

Cris Moreno Good result! Very happy.

Voice Over The first of many safety tests succeeds.

Caption FMC Technologies, Johor, Xmas Tree Pressure Test

Voice Over In Malaysia, subsea equipment that will control the gas-flow from Prelude’s 7 wells is being checked for leaks.

Caption: Kevin Lau, Subsea Engineer

Kevin Lau We are pressuring up to 10,000 psi, which is about 300 times the pressure of your car tyres. It’s a bit like watching paint dry, but watching it dry very nervously! Because it’s so big, and it’s the final test, yes they still get nervous, never mind how many times you do it.

Voice Over The huge pressure holds, proving the kit is fit for use.

Caption Samsung Heavy Industries, Geoje Island, South Korea

Voice Over In South Korea, the installation of a pipe network 450 kilometres long is well underway.

Caption James Nafraicheur, Pipe Engineering Lead

James Nafraicheur: It looks like a human body full of arteries and veins, with blood flowing in-between.

Voice Over There are more than 450,000 piping components to connect. Across the shipyard, one of the vast storage tanks, is about to receive a “pump tower”. This will take its liquefied gas up to deck for offloading.

Caption Jean Chaplain, Storage Tank Lead

Jean Chaplain: Last time it was windy and it was very tricky.

Voice Over The 50 tonne structure is safely coaxed through the narrow opening.

Jean Chaplain: OK it’s coming down

Caption: DryDocks World, Dubai, Turret Load-Out

Voice Over In Dubai, part of the 30 story “turret”, which allows Prelude to “weathervane”, is ready to set sail for South Korea.

Caption Nicholas Kauffmann, FLNG Project Manager

Nicholas Kauffmann: Every day when I wake up and I see components this size, you know I’m struck with awe!

Voice Over In Australia, construction finishes on the onshore supply base. Everything required to support Prelude’s remote location 200km’s from shore, will be shipped from here.

Caption: Andrew Smith, Country Chair Australia Andrew Smith:

The warehouse is completely empty now, but within a week things will start coming in. Ahh, it’s going to be terrific to see.

Caption: Holloway Houston, USA, Mooring Wire Strain Test

Voice Over In Texas, Prelude’s mooring cable, is strength tested to the point of destruction.

Caption Ewoud Van Haaften, Offshore Structures Engineer

Ewoud Van Haaften: This wire rope, it is the biggest mooring wire rope that has ever been break load tested. So now we’re over 2500 tonnes.

Voice Over It passes the required strength, and now it’s pushed to the limit. Ewoud Van Haaften More wires going… Still in one piece. Yah! There we go! Incredible, wow. What a huge bang!

Voice Over The sample out-performs strength requirements

Caption Samsung Heavy Industries, Geoje, South Korea

Voice Over In Korea, the first of the huge gas processing modules is being lifted onto the hull.

Caption Huw Jones, Construction Manager

Voice Over The 4,800 tonne module is floated to its new home.

Caption: Dean Fresher, Heavy Lift & Transportation Lead

Dean Fresher: At this stage, we’re about 100mil off, they’ll do the last adjustment, so when we do touchdown, that’s it, we won’t be coming up, and this module will be staying here for the next 25 years or more.

Dean Fresher: Well done Mr Lee! 100%! 100%!

Voice Over Piece by piece, step by step, across 4 continents and involving thousands of people, the vision of Prelude continues to become a reality.

A local legacy

The Prelude FLNG project will provide significant benefits to Australia, creating around 1,000 jobs and providing many opportunities for Australian businesses. According to an independent analysis by ACIL Tasman, over the 25-year life of the project, Prelude FLNG will add more than AUS $45 billion to Australia’s GDP.

In Western Australia, to build local capacity and expertise to support the Prelude FLNG project, Shell is investing millions of dollars in local universities and education providers such as the Challenger Institute of Technology and the University of Western Australia.

Jo Walker Smith, a lecturer at the Challenger Institute, says “it’s great seeing the ‘light bulb’ moment when the technicians see the link between the fundamental science and engineering that underlies the processes they may have been operating for many years. You can see how this improved understanding will assist in ensuring that Prelude operates at its maximum potential.”

Shell has also partnered with the University of Western Australia (UWA) to sponsor PhD research related to offshore hydrodynamics, offshore structures and the behaviour of floating liquefied natural gas facilities. The aim is to ensure a ready and local supply of expertise at the forefront of this emerging technology by creating a centre of excellence for FLNG.

Preparing for production at Prelude

After years of planning, preparation and integration, Jim Marshall believes FLNG will soon be the norm for gas production. Even though Prelude’s construction is still continuing, his role already entails building the organisational capability to bring Prelude into production.